Thursday, April 28, 2011

Treatments for Neuralgia

Neuralgia, also known as neuropathy, refers to the pain that typically follows the path of a nerve, normally in the arms, hands, legs and feet. The nerve pain can be a result of a variety of factors including medications, chemical irritations, diabetes, shingles, swelling and irritation, trauma, including trauma from surgery. Neuralgia treatment is often dependent on the type and source of the irritation.

Most forms of neuralgia develop over time and because of this are most common among the elderly or those who have had a long history of battling a disease, for example those who have battled high blood glucose levels for extended periods of time, also known as diabetes. While it is easy to pinpoint the most common cases it is also important to note that neuralgia doesn't discriminate and affects people of all ages.

Common symptoms of neuralgia include weakened muscles of the affected body part due to motor nerve damage; heightened sensitivity or numbness of the affected skin; pain and irritation that follows a specific nerve; pain located on or near the surface of the body but typically in the same location for each episode; sharp, stabbing pain that is either intermittent is a or constant, burning pain. Generally any touch against your skin is felt as pain, including movement.

If you have been diagnosed as having neuralgia from a known source your physician will have a variety of treatment options to choose from. Regardless of the method of treatment the overall goal of neuralgia treatment is to try and reverse the condition so the pain will no longer be an issue. Since this is an ongoing process they will try to control or manage the pain in the meantime. The type of treatment options available will often depends on the cause, location, and severity of the pain that is being experienced. If, for some reason, your physician is unable to diagnose the cause of the neuralgia it is important to not lose hope since it is possible for the pain to improve and even heal itself.

As I mentioned above, neuralgia treatment will typically vary depending on the type of neuralgia being experienced. For instance, if you have diabetes the first thing your physician will attempt to do is address the underlying reason behind the neuralgia which would be high blood sugar levels. Your doctor will work with you to get your blood pressure under control through a strict diet and exercise regime and may even include insulin and diabetes medications. The pain experienced with neuralgia may be treated through a variety of options including antidepressant medications, anti-seizure medications, aspirin, acetaminophen, ibuprofen, topical creams, or surgery.

It is vitally important to not lose hope. While neuralgia can be very painful, by working closely with your physician you can find out the source of the problem and work to eliminate the pain and discomfort.